Nationals Journal: December 5, 2010 - December 11, 2010

We now know the full extent of Jayson Werth's seven-year, $126 million contract, thanks to the breakdown first reported in a tweet by the indefatigable Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. According to Rosenthal, Werth will be paid a his $4...

While the Nationals would be reluctant to offer free agent starting pitcher Carl Pavano a multiple-year contract, they remain in touch with agent Tom O'Connell. General Manager Mike Rizzo spoke with O'Connell yesterday before leaving the winter meetings. Pavano, who...

The Nationals made their comet-into-ocean splash at the winter meetings when they signed Jayson Werth, and today they made a pebble-into-puddle announcement by releasing their minor league managers and coaches. Not the most exciting hot stove news you'll read, but...

The Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Elvin Ramirez from the New York Mets' Class AA affiliate with their first pick in the Rule 5 draft, a possible coup for a right-handed reliever who can hit regularly hit 98 miles per hour...

The Nationals' slim chances to sign Cliff Lee after the events that transpired late last night effectively vanished, and the team at fault is ... the Nationals? Indirectly, yes. Surely, you know by know that the Red Sox stunned the...

Even with a first base slot to fill, pitching remains the Nationals' first priority in the eyes of General Manager Mike Rizzo. During his session with reporters, talk focused on three possibilities for the Nationals: Cliff Lee, Brandon Webb and...

The winter meetings aren't the winter meetings until a horde of reporters circles Scott Boras and pelts him with questions. Boras, the super-agent who represents seven players on the Nationals' 40-man roster, answered several pertinent questions about the Nationals. *Boras...

After twice meeting with Carl Pavano's representative this week, the Nationals "are still in the mix" to sign the veteran right-hander, agent Tom O'Connell said this morning. Pavano, who will turn 35 in January, arrived yesterday at the winter meetings...

The name most frequently connected to the Nationals' vacancy at first base came off the market late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning when Chicago Cubs signed free agent Carlos Pena to a contract reportedly worth $10 million for one season. With...

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo met with Washington reporters this evening in his suite at the Dolphin Hotel here at the winter meetings. He called the Nationals "a real long shot" to sign Cliff Lee, said the Nats have met...

After the flurry of Cliff Lee rumors linked to the Nationals this morning -- which proved largely untrue -- it's been a quiet day so far for the Nationals. General Mike Rizzo will meet with the media at about 4...

There has been some serious buzz this morning about the Nationals throwing an enormous contract at Cliff Lee, culminating with a report by the New York Daily News that the Nationals will offer a seven-year contract that the New York...

At the winter meetings, all dim lobbies and hotel suites filled with baseball executives and laptops and snack foods, the actual playing of baseball seems pretty far away. As for that, Manager Jim Riggleman addressed some points about the upcoming...

The Nationals have yet to make a final decision on the course of action for filling their first base position, and whatever solution they arrive could dictate the future of left fielder Josh Willingham. The Nationals' most likely solution to...

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo yesterday called acquiring premier free agent starter Cliff Lee "a long shot," and surely, with the New York Yankees closing in, he's right. But the Nationals, Lee's agent said, aren't out of the Lee sweepstakes...

Already trying to fill a hole at first base and add starting rotation depth, the Nationals are also looking for a closer, according to a league source. The Nationals had one of the strongest bullpens in baseball last year, and...

The Nationals grabbed national headlines yesterday by signing Jayson Werth to a bigger deal than anyone imagined he would sign. "We're not done," one Nationals employee said late last night, so who knows what to expect out of the Nationals...

There are a million different angles from which to look at the Nationals' signing of Jayson Werth. Let's look at a few we haven't covered yet and won't be covered in detail in tomorrow's birdcage liner story: *Mike Rizzo wants...

I'll be throwing up a couple more posts before the night is over, but for now just something to spark some discussion. Manager Jim Riggleman said he hasn't started scribbling out lineups yet, but here's one potential/projected opening day lineup...

The Nationals have signed free agent outfielder Jayson Werth, according to a source, robbing the division rival Philadelphia Phillies of one of their best players and making stunning improvement to their immediate chances at contention. In the wake of losing...